Captain America: Civil War passed the $1 billion mark worldwide on Friday, making it first movie to do so in 2016. It is the 25th movie of all-time to reach $1 billion and the 10th movie for Disney. Previous Marvel films to have such an icredible box office is The Avengers (1.5 billion), Avengers: Age of Ultron (1.4 billion) and Iron Man 3 (1.2 billion).
Civil War is the third movie in the Captain America franchise and the 13th film overall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Boasting an Avengers-like cast, the latest Marvel movie pits Captain America (Chris Evans) against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in a fight over government oversight and the accountability of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The Russo brothers, Joe and Anthony, are back to direct.
See how the box office for Captain America: Civil War ranks against the previous 12 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movies are ranked lowest to highest by their worldwide earnings.
‘The Incredible Hulk’ (2008) – $263.4 Million
The only solo Hulk movie from Marvel Studios is the least successful of the MCU movies. The film starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. Norton was later replaced by Mark Ruffalo when the Hulk was called up to join Marvel’s The Avengers a few years later.
The Incredible Hulk also had the lowest opening weekend at $55.4 million. It’s the only Marvel movie released by Universal Studios.
‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ (2011) – $370.5 million
Marvel Studios tried a period piece to introduce Captain America. The story of Steve Rogers takes place almost entirely during World War II except for the first and last moments of the film. It grossed $65 million over its opening weekend. Captain America: The First Avenger was the last Marvel movie released by Paramount Pictures, but the studio would remain a production partner for the next film, Marvel’s The Avengers.
‘Thor’ (2011) – $449.3 million
Chris Hemsworth made his debut as the Norse God in Thor and introduced the Marvel Universe to realms beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The film also gave Marvel its most formidable foe to date in Loki, who later led the Chitauri army against the Avengers. Thor opened to $65.7 million.
‘Ant-Man’ (2015) – $519.4 million
The success of Phase 2 came to a screeching halt with Paul Rudd’s introduction as the tiniest Avenger. Ant-Man was the lowest grossing move in the second slate of Marvel movies, more than $100 million behind Thor: The Dark World. It also had the second lowest opening weekend of all 12 films with $57.2 million.
‘Iron Man’ (2008) – $585.1 million
Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man director Jon Favreau set the tone early, mixing comedy and action for a successful formula that has worked greatly for Marvel Studios over the last eight years. The film boasted the best domestic gross until 2012 and opened to the tune of $98.6 million during the first weekend in May 2008.
‘Iron Man 2’ (2010) – $623.9 million
Marvel fans waited two years for more Iron Man and paid the franchise handsomely for Tony Stark’s return. The film was the highest grossing movie of the Phase 1 movies (not including Marvel’s The Avengers) and had the biggest opening weekend ($128.1 million) of the first slate (again, not including The Avengers).
‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013) – $644.6 million
The total gross for the second Thor movie brought Marvel’s expectations back down to Earth after the extraordinary success of The Avengers and Iron Man 3. Fighting a battle across all nine realms wasn’t too impressive to moviegoers or critics, who gave the film a cumulative 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest rated MCU movie (The Incredible Hulk notched a 67 percent). The Dark World did enjoy a strong opening weekend at $85.7 million.
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014) – $714.4 million
The seats were packed for the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the second Captain America film. The Winter Soldier was compared to classic political thrillers and featured the great Robert Redford as the man who resurrected the villainous Hydra organization from its 70-year slumber. The movie had an opening weekend of $95 million.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014) – $773.3 million
This ragtag group of intergalactic ex-cons bursted into theaters and dominated the 2014 box office. In its first weekend, the film grossed $94.3 million to set the record for biggest weekend box office in August. The film also ranked third highest for total gross behind Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies that year.
Chris Pratt, who got ripped for the film, will lead his team again in 2017 in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. James Gunn also returns to the sequel as director and writer.
‘Iron Man 3’ (2013) – 1.2 billion
The third installment of Iron Man kicked off Marvel’s Phase 2 and grossed the highest box-office of the non-Avengers films. It collected $174.1 million during its opening weekend. Downey Jr. has gone back and forth on whether a fourth Iron Man movie is in the cards, but his latest statement to ABC’s Dateline in April was, “I feel like I could do one more.”
‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015) – $1.4 billion
The Avengers made more noise overseas in their second go around, even while bringing down a Eastern European country. The film grossed $946.4 million at the foreign box office compared to the $896 million The Avengers made abroad, making it the highest grossing international superhero movie of all time. It also had an opening weekend of $191.2 million.
Age of Ultron introduced Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s ill-fated Quicksilver, and brought Paul Bettany on screen as Vision after lending his voice to J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark’s artificially intelligent computer.
‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ (2012) – $1.5 billion
Ranking at number one is the first Avengers movie. The film was the first Marvel movie to generate $1 billion in ticket sales and is the fifth highest grossing movie of all-time. It also holds Marvel’s record for biggest opening weekend at $207 million, but that could change this weekend with Captain America: Civil War.
It tops the list for Marvel’s highest-grossing film domestically ($623.3 million), the highest-grossing film distributed by Disney, the highest-grossing superhero movie and the highest-grossing movie based on comics.